Mid Valley Times 1-28-21 E-edition

Thursday, January 28, 2021
Vol. 2, No. 30
High school cheer team's performance part of 'Dance Across America' video Jan. 20
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
In a whirlwind week of rapid planning and precision performance and capped off by a triumphant se- lection, the Dinuba High School Varsity Cheer Squad found them- selves swept up in a "Dance Across America" while gaining a national platform.
The team's entry was one of just 275 submissions from across the na- tion — featuring 16,000 videos sent in by Americans from 30 states and territories — that performed in the three-minute "Dance Across Amer- ica" video that was played as part of the Jan. 20 virtual inauguration day parade after Joe Biden was sworn in as America's 46th president. The video was the brainchild of Emmy Award-winning dance choreogra- pher Julie McDonald and directed
See 'DANCE'VIDEOonpageA14
Angelica Quintana / Photos Contributed
ABOVE AND LEFT: The Dinuba High School cheer squad recorded their video performance to "Dancing In The Streets" on Jan. 8. The group's video was one of about 100 selected out of 15,000 to 16,000 entries from around the nation to be featured in the "Dance Across America" that aired on Jan. 20, the day of Joe Biden's inau- guration as the nation's 46th president.
Image via Zoom
Tim Chapa, Sanger city manager, talked about grants for the city's small businesses on Jan. 21.
Sanger providing
grants
for small
businesses
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
The Sanger City Council unanimously approved a sec- ond round of grant funding to local small businesses who have been affected by the CO- VID-19 pandemic.
“If you recall, the city coun- cil approved back in the fall the first round of local small business grant in the amount of about $100,000, it would provide for $5,000 grants to eligible businesses,” said Tim Chapa, Sanger’s city manag- er, on the evening of Jan. 21. “Through that process that first round of grants were awarded back in November 2020.”
Chapa said funding in the amount of $100,000 was again available and had been add- ed to the city’s budget, how- ever several changes would be made this time around for those applying.
“One of the things that we’re asking in this next round, are slight changes to the quali- fications and criteria, and this is just basically because of
SeeCOUNCILonpage A14
50 cents
Inaugural fame for Dinuba
Coronavirus Update — Stay-At-Home Order Finally Lifted
Salons, outdoor dining can reopen
Valley still in a struggle to secure vaccine doses
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
COVID-19 numbers re- mained elevated in Califor- nia this week, but Gov. Gavin Newsom still took a much- needed step to get many resi- dents and businesses back to work.
On Jan. 25, Newsom an- nounced that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was lifting the re- gional stay-at-home orders throughout the state, includ-
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Maricela Saenx, owner of the It's All That And More Beauty Salon in downtown Reedley, prepped customer Jesus Calderon of Orange Cove for a cut on Jan. 26, the first full day salons and barbershops were allowed to reopen after a state stay-at-home order was lifted.
ing the San Joaquin Valley re- counties have been mired in gion where Fresno and Tulare the purple tier (widespread)
status when it comes to the virus.
The lifting of the regional stay-at-home orders meant that hard-hit personal ser- vices including salons and barbershops along with res- taurants providing outdoor dining, were able to imme- diately reopen. By Jan. 26, a number of salons and shops were again seeing customers looking for a haircut or style.
Also, those eateries that had the facilities for outdoor eating returned to — or were continuing — taking custom- ers for outdoor dining. Reed- ley's multiple downtown "par- klets" were available to pro-
See ORDER on page A6
Ralph Parichan, longtime Reedley business owner, dies
Third-generation resident
ran Sam's Shoe Store for
more than 30 years
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Ralph Parichan, longtime third-generation owner of one of Reedley's oldest businesses in Sam's Shoe Store, died on Jan. 17 at age 86.
Parichan ran the 106-year-old business founded by his grandfather for more than 30 years. Son Eric Parichan, the current owner/ operator of the store at 1127 G St. in downtown Reedley, said his father continued a family leg- acy in the city and its downtown core.
"He was involved with the Jaycees when they were relevant, and was on the original
Reedley Downtown Association Streetscape," Erik said. "They would go up and get the Christmas tree. He was one of the first ones to do that with John Perkins and some other people."
Ralph Parichan was the grandson of Sump- at Paretchanian, who came to America from Turkish Armenia in 1912 and shortened his name to Sam Parichan. He began his business inside the J.W. Nickels men's shop on G Street which is the Sam's Shoe Store's location for more than a century, according to the store's website.
Ralph Parichan was the oldest son of Albert Parichan, who became partners in the business with his brother Jack when Sam died in 1951. Jack Parichan retired in 1961, and Ralph be-
See PARICHAN on page A2
Ralph Parichan, third- generation owner who operated Sam's Shoe Store in downtown Reedley for more than three decades, died
on Jan. 17 at age 86. Parichan was primary owner of the G Street store — which was es- tablished by his grand- father Sam Parichan
in 1914 — from 1961 until his retirement in 1992.
Parichan family / Photo Contributed
Classifieds - A13 Directory - A8 Legals - A10-12 Sports - A9 Lifestyle - A7 Lights & Sirens - A3, A5
Obituaries - A2-3, A5 Opinion - A4